


Drowning Shadows

by HiddenEye



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: 2D LB and CN is Sabine and Gabriel, Also past lovers Sabine and Gabriel, Cause that AU makes me weak, Gen, Just a little something something, ye
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-07 10:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5453723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenEye/pseuds/HiddenEye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was fate who drove them apart, and it was fate who brought them together again. Here he was opening old scars, and here she was covering them up again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got hooked with the idea that 2D Ladybug and Chat Noir are Sabine and Gabriel, which is kinda sweet and more angst would probably occur due to the fact that their love square isn't actually completed like their respectful child has. Also that Gabriel isn't Hawkmoth in this for reasons (that headcanon is so popular that at the beginning I thought it was canon tfw). Anyhow, since we have yet to know Adrien's mum's name, I'd like to call her Leslie, for the sake of the story. 
> 
> Old friends/past lovers catching up is my aesthetic

 Sabine is blessed.  

She has a wonderful family with the man she loves, a beautiful daughter who is the light of their lives, and a successful business in making the most delicious goods in Paris that anyone could have ask for.

She is content with the soft dough which compresses easily under her hands as she kneads, she enjoys the smell of freshly baked bread every morning everytime she comes downstairs as much as she enjoys the way Tom playfully dusts her nose with flour at every chance he has since the first time they baked together. She is thankful for the tinkle of laughter Marinette makes ever since her voice echoes through the household, reminding Sabine again and again that miracles, indeed, happen and she must cherish them at all costs.

She enjoys her life, she loves her family, and though her past life has excitement she sometimes yearns for, she is thankful for what she has at the moment.

Sometimes, she sees herself in Marinette. Her daughter is a carbon copy of her, except for her eyes and the freckles that splashes across her nose. Those are the things that she inherits from Tom, and one of the reasons Sabine loves him in the first place.

The compassion in her daughter is Tom as well, the passionate love for baking, the easily red cheeks that Sabine always pinches and causes laughter to rupture. Though, the spunk Marinette has is from her, the determination and haughty attitude that shows how much they are the same. Sometimes, Sabine laughs quietly at how similar they are, it reminds her of the old days when she is like that, now that she mellows down after years has passed.

She doesn't mind leaving it all behind, her past she means, she doesn't precisely like to dwindle on it when it only makes her distressed, as it only brings up the how's and the what if's that could happen if she ever did twinge things a little differently, if she had made another choice, another road she would take that another life would occur.

Which is why she is surprised when _he_ walks through the door of the shop in his usual crisp suit he always dons since long ago, the bell rings quietly in the quiet shop as there are no customers, when the blue black sky outside is the reason why.

She remembers him of course, even though it's been years since she sees him face to face, since she lasts talk to him after the death of his wife, she still remembers him.

How can she not, when he is the first part of her life she cherishes.

She slowly puts down the rag she has been holding on the counter, her wide eyes meets his calm ones from where he stands rigidly at the entrance, his hands clasps behind him.

"Gabriel," She breathes, almost letting the name _Felix_ , his middle name, to roll past her tongue. She blinks, because what in the world was he doing here in the middle of the night, where shops are all but closing. "What brings you here?"

He purses his lips, looking away briefly that she sees some familiarity in him again. His shoulders slumps the slightest bit, his blueish grey eyes looking duller than usual. "I need to talk to you about Ladybug and Chat Noir."

She stiffens, it's been too long since they have talk about that particular topic, why bring it up now?

Then, Tom comes out from the back, where he has done the last of the cleaning from the kitchen. "Sabine? I heard the door opening-" He cuts off the last of his sentence when he sees the designer standing at the doorway, and Gabriel immediately straightens when he hears the sound of the large man's voice. "Gabriel," Tom greets with a smile. "It's been a while."

Gabriel responds with a small one of his own, and Sabine doesn't remember the last time she sees him smiles like that. "Likewise," He pauses, his eyes flickering between the couple. "If you don't mind Tom, there's something I'd like to tell Sabine, and I require some privacy if you please."

Tom is suspicious of course, staring at the man with platinum coloured hair with a guarded look on his face. Sabine rests a hand on her husband's arm, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, we have some things to catch up to."

Tom gazes down at her, giving her a smile before nodding towards Gabriel, and then makes his way upstairs.

Both of them watch him go, where they could hear the sound of a door closing before Gabriel walks slowly towards her. "You never did tell him, did you?"

She shrugs, pulling a stool for him to sit on as she occupies another. "It's in the past, and it's for his safety," She gives him a pointed look as he makes himself comfortable on the seat she gives him. "You should know that."

He gives a short laugh. "I know, you have been telling me that for years."

She smiles softly. "I did, didn't I?"

He smirks a bit, and she finally sees the _real_ him shining through the armour he builds up after his fame, where the billboards and news would never catch what's behind his cold-like demeanour that she has glimpses of in their earlier years.

Where, somewhere along the way, she almost falls in love with him.

 _Both_ of him.

"An earful might I add," He continues lightly, making her roll her eyes. "And I assume, the new Ladybug would do the same to Chat Noir."

She snaps her eyes towards him, where he meets her prodding gaze with a sardonic smile. "It's been too long since we touch that subject."

"Ever since that day." She says quietly, remembering the heat of past fires and the screams of various people echoing through Paris around her twenty year old self. She remembers praying that it wouldn't be the end of the world, that they could still stop the madness that spreads itself through the city where terror has been planted into the hearts of men, where akumas upon akumas bursts into the sky and shields the sun from touching the ground as those tainted butterflies corrupt the sky with its dark wings, where Paris is captured in a dome-like structure where none shall leave, and none shall come in.

As victorious as they were, it was agreed to themselves to never again bring it up after it was over, never to speak of it again after they part.

Even after they revealed their identities to each other.

Internally shaking herself out of her reverie, she looks at him sharply. "Why bring it up now?" She asks almost demandingly, because she doesn't want to think about it, she rather not, when the what if's is still lurking among them, when the dark thoughts she hides is still attached to them. "After all these years, after we defeated Hawkmoth, why come to me and talk to me about it after almost twenty years later?"

He stares at her, his eyes flickers around her face and she is hit with the realisation that they are filled with sadness. It's not obvious, since he has mastered the ways of concealing ones emotion if he wants, but she _knows_ him, and she knows how to read him for the longest time. "Because it concerns your daughter."

She clamps her mouth shut. She knows of course, that the new Ladybug is her own daughter ever since she feels the familiar energy radiating through the whole house a year ago, and she has a feeling that the new Chat Noir is his own son, but she says nothing of it to Marinette.

There are times even after her retirement, Tikki would visit her once in a while, while they would talk about anything they want as Tikki waits the right time to find another person to be worthy enough of holding the Miraculous. But the kwami never actually tell her that the next Miraculous wielder would be Marinette herself, and Sabine is worried sick when she finds out in the end, knowing full well the consequences that could occur at anytime and place, and the probability of getting injured is very high.

She purses her lips. "I don't suppose Plagg chose Adrien as well."

He sighs softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He did, that little bastard," He growled quietly. "Imagine my surprise when my cheese kept missing even after I gave back the ring to him, and only to find it around my son's finger."

She giggles softly. "He never changes."

He snorts. "I don't believe that glutton ever will."

She taps the counter with a finger, pursing her lips again. "We can't do anything about them."

"No," He agrees. "Even if I've scolded Adrien for leaving in the middle of his photoshoots to save those pests, he still won't listen to me, now that the sprite had anything to do with it."

"Maybe Plagg thinks he's as worthy as you were."

He lets out a huff of dry laughter. "I didn't think I was worthy enough, sometimes I still wonder why Plagg chose me."

Her finger froze in mid air. "You never told me that."

"I didn't think it was important, and besides, Adrien is much more worthy than I ever will be," He licks his dry lips. "I thank god that he inherits most of Leslie's traits than mine."

She stays quiet, because Leslie has always been a cheery woman, when the sudden death took her away from both Gabriel and Adrien, leaving the boy motherless for the past ten years that Sabine cannot offer anything but sympathy to them, and Gabriel shut the world from what has left of his family that he didn't even answer when she called, until Tom had told her gently that the grieving man needed space, even then she was reluctant to let go. 

After a decade, he's in her shop again, talking to her as if nothing has passed.

"Hawkmoth is still out there," He continues gravely, a frown marring his brows. "I thought we disposed of him forever."

"Unfortunately, he's not done yet," She sighs, rubbing her face with her hand. "The corrupted kwami had time to heal and probably found a new host weak enough to be fully under his control, and then starting havoc again."

He clenches his jaw, his fingers wrings together tightly. "I hope Ladybug and Chat Noir defeats him again. This time, I hope it's permanent."

"You know it'll take a while to defeat him again, another less than five years maybe?" She shakes her head. "Who knows? Hawkmoth has been playing with Ladybugs and Chat Noirs for centuries, I wouldn't be surprised if he's taunting them like he did to us when we could still fly around on roofs."

"When we were still young," He says quietly, and she avoids his stare as she looks down to her hands, where she's playing with the silver band around her ring finger. "Do you miss it?"

She gives a grim smile, looking up to meet his eyes. "I try not to."

"Why?"

"You know why."

He straightens his spine. "Are you still angry about that?"

"Of course not. I wasn't even angry in the first place," She replies with an edge, trying not to reveal anything. "I moved on, I married Tom, we have a beautiful daughter we couldn't be more proud of," She purses her lips. "Now, she's going through what I went through." She does not tell him of Marinette's crush on his son, or the way Marinette gushes about the boy as Sabine had about Gabriel long ago. She notes almost bitterly that history is repeating itself, and she doesn't want her daughter to go through the same twisted fate as she has.

Hallow laughter escapes his lips. "Irony brought me to Leslie in the end. As I was starting to love you, you were already with Tom," She flinches, as if struck physically by his words, and his mouth twists into a mock smile. "But then, I met Leslie, and like you said, I moved on, I married her, we have a son we couldn't be more proud of," He looks away, as if pained by the thought. "But then, she was gone too."

She doesn't say anything, she doesn't know what to say. He finally admits to her that he once loved her, but even then he was too late. She was far out of his reach back then as she is at the moment.

Tikki has once said that the relationship between Ladybug and Chat Noir has always been complicated. It doesn't matter if they fall in love or they don't, one way or another, they will meet each other and they will go through the hardships of defeating on what the universe has been given to them. Each of them is half of a whole, complete opposites destined to be.

And it seems that theirs are one of those who does not have all the luck in the world.

She feels sadness for the man in front of her.

"Felix," She calls out softly, where he's taken aback at the name. "If my daughter happens to be with your son," She pauses, letting the words sink in fully. "Would you allow it?"

He studies her. "You don't want your daughter to have the same fate as you do."

She almost snarks at him, but she doesn't. "I don't want her to go through the pain as I have when I was chasing after meaningless dreams," She replies bluntly, the satisfaction of seeing the guilt in his eyes almost makes her feel smug. Almost, but not quite. "Would you?"

He sighs. "Even if I won't, there would be a chance that he won't listen to me, and there would be a chance that he wouldn't be as blind as I was. He's a smart kid, he'll figure it out," Suddenly, he stands up, and she quickly follows. "I'm afraid I've overstayed my welcome, thank you for your time, Sabine."

She gives him a small smile. "It was nice seeing you again, Felix."

He nods, before they walk towards the entrance where he pushes the door open, his limo already waiting outside. Turning around slightly, he smiles softly at her.

"Farewell, My Lady."

She watches him make his way inside the limo, before it starts driving towards his home, leaving the former Ladybug at her doorstep.

She takes a shuddering breath, shaking her head to have a grip of herself as she locks the bakery door, the bell tinkling lightly above her head.

"Stupid cat." She mutters, slightly angry after his visit as memories starts to flash in her mind, memories she would rather throw at the bottom of a pit and never to be seen again.

"Why did you have to come?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mama Bug and Papa Chat gonna save their bbys from evil butterfly man who's gonna steal their heir loom

It's in the middle of the night when Marinette notices that Tikki isn't beside her head as usual, where there isn't a tiny red body curled up on the pillow the moment she opens her eyes.

It's odd to say the least, when she doesn't see her trusted companion the moment she wakes up, where that routine has been going on for the past four years that she's already used to it, and it leaves her slightly empty without her.

Slowly, she sits up as she blinks the sleepiness away. "Tikki?" Her hair is out of place when she starts to pat the comforter to find the kwami, worried that the kwami has fallen somewhere. She looks down from her bed, eyes searching for Tikki through the semi dark room, where the street light glows inside from the window, illuminating the furniture with it. Pushing the blanket away, she crawls across the bed to get to the stairs, climbing down carefully to not wake up her parents.

Once she is at the bottom, she switches on the light to find the kwami, calling out Tikki softly as she rummages through her belongings, looking under the table and in between spaces alike.

Just as she's about to open the trap door, she hears voices talking from the other side, low enough that she can't hear what they're saying, but obvious enough to know that they're feminine.

She bites her bottom lip, contemplating whether or not to eavesdrop on the conversation or go back to sleep. But Tikki has yet to be found, she's worried that the kwami is downstairs trying to get a midnight snack when people suddenly enters the living room before Tikki could escape. She's probably hiding in a cookie jar or somewhere safe that no one could see her, or huddled at the corner as she waits for the people to leave.

But then again, who could be talking in the middle of the night when everyone should be asleep?

Curiosity getting the better of her, she cautiously pulls the trap door open, quickly slipping down to the first level of stairs as she close the door above her quietly, trying not to wince at the click it makes when she closes it.

Staying still for a while to make sure no one has seen her, she let's out a soft breath of relief, before she starts to listen to what the voices are saying as the fridge hides her from being seen.

"-getting stronger? Are you sure?"

She realises with a start that it's her mother, sounding very concerned that Marinette hasn't heard that kind of quiver in Sabine's voice for the longest time.

"Yes," Replies a small voice that makes Marinette grip the stairs. "I'm sure."

 _Tikki_.

Why is she having a conversation with Sabine?

There's a tired sigh that comes from her mother. "You felt it, didn't you? The power that's starting to rise again, like the last time when you warned me about it," There's some hesitation that comes after that, before she continues. "Did you tell Marinette?"

"I will, if she comes down from the stairs and sits with us."

Marinette jumps slightly at the mention of her name, feeling the heat spreads across her cheek in some shame from getting caught. Her heart is pounding in her chest, because what in the world is happening here? How can her mother be talking to Tikki without freaking out about the fact that there's a red kwami floating in her house at the moment? _Surely_ , it's the first time her mother met Tikki, or she just made friends with the kwami without caring what she is so there's that.

And what about Tikki? How can she be so comfortable talking to Sabine as if they have been old friends and knew each other for the longest time? Also, 'the power starting to rise again'? 'Like the last time'?

She needs answers.

"We're still waiting, Marinette."

Schooling her expression into a neutral look, she pads down the stairs barefooted, trying to calm herself down when she's finally at the bottom of the stairs, slowly facing them.

She blinks when she sees her mother sitting on one of the stools, while Tikki has settled down on the counter with a plate of cookies in front of her, while she has one in her hands. Both of them has looks of amusement etched on their faces, and Marinette's beginning to think that she's still dreaming as she stands rooted to the spot.

"I never thought I'd see this day," She mutters incoherently, rubbing her eye with a hand. "Or night. Whatever floats your boat."

Sabine rolls her eyes as Tikki giggles, where the woman beckons for her daughter to come nearer. "I was expecting you'd be asleep."

Marinette sits opposite Sabine, letting out a yawn. "Yeah, well, I woke up because Tikki- woah, wait a minute," She narrows her eyes towards her mother, and then flickers towards the kwami. "Tikki, why are you suddenly talking with my mum?"

Tikki merely takes a bite of her cookie. "Sabine knows, Marinette."

Marinette whips her head up to look at her mother, a squeak bursts out of her lips as she stares at her in bewilderment. " _What?"_

"She knows that you're Ladybug." Tikki continues calmly.

"I-I," Marinette stutters, looking from Tikki to her mother. "B-but, you're not supposed to know. Tikki, how can you tell her?"

"She didn't, I figured it out myself," Sabine assures her, taking her daughter's hand with a chuckle when Marinette has her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. "You'd think I didn't notice you disappearing in the middle of the night? And then somewhere past midnight you'll back, most likely tired after a patrol I would assume."

Marinette blinks rapidly at her, as if Sabine has grown another head. "And," She pauses, trying to gauge Sabine's reaction as she says the next of her sentence. "You're okay with this?"

Sabine purses her lips, stroking the back of Marinette's hand with her thumb. "Not entirely, I know how dangerous it can be, since I've seen how you fight through the news," She let's out a sigh. "And the fact that you've gotten hurt more times than I could count."

Grimacing slightly, Marinette wrings their fingers together, giving her mother a reassuring squeeze. "I'm just doing my job, Mama, trying to save Paris and all."

Sabine smiles faintly at her. "I know you are, and I trust you. Also, Tikki would always be here with you, so I'm not exactly worried."

Marinette licks her dry lips, the curiosity almost bursting out of her. "How did you two know each other?"

Mother and kwami shares a look, and Marinette can see the silent communication that goes between them, before Tikki is the one who answers her question.

"Sabine found me when I was," She hesitates, with something flashing in her eyes that Marinette hasn't able to catch. "Weak, and she nursed me back to health," She shoots Sabine a grin. "I couldn't thank her enough."

Sabine chuckles, bopping the kwami on the head. "You've done your payment to me handsomely, I'm still glad that you stayed with me after that."

As Tikki giggles, Marinette frowns slightly at the both of them. "Tikki stayed with you?"

"For a while," Comes the swift answer before Tikki takes another cookie off the plate. "And then, I left."

"For how long? You two seem like old friends catching up," Marinette crosses her arms defiantly. "I assume Tikki stayed longer."

Tikki doesn't answer immediately, but when she does, her voice is devoid of anything that could rise any suspicions, a complete monotone that sometimes Marinette hates when she does that to not tell her anything. "Long enough. Like I said, I couldn't thank her enough, since I've seen the good in Sabine."

Then, the table is quiet for a while, leaving Marinette to ponder her thoughts about this. Their story sounds so simple, it's hard to actually believe that Tikki would just leave after feeling better without erasing her mother's memory of her. Since, a kwami is indeed powerful when can be, and the thought of a normal human who wouldn't even wield the Miraculous meets a kwami out of pure fate seems a bit too good to be true.

As if, they are in fact hiding something from her, and trying not to tell her anything about it.

"Marinette."

She looks up when her name is called, surprised at how grave Sabine has turn. "I'd like you to follow me to see someone later, an old friend if you will, somewhere around the evening and it'll be a short while," She nods at Tikki. "Tikki will be coming with us as well."

Marinette looks down to the kwami, who refuses to meet her eyes as she finishes the last of the cookie. "Is it important?"

Sabine smiles, and Marinette sees the sadness that glows dully under the lone light above their heads. "More important than you'd like to believe."

* * *

"Felix." 

The man stiffens from where he stands at the large windows of his room, his lips thins with displeasure at how quick the memories he hides at the back of his mind tries to show themselves again at the mere mention of that name.

"Or should I say, _Gabriel_?" Continues the impish voice as it floates beside him, showing itself as a cat-like kwami as the morning sun shines on both of them.

"Plagg," Gabriel acknowledges coldly. "You finally showed yourself to me after using my son for these past four years."

Plagg shrugs idly, settling himself onto Gabriel's shoulder like he used to years ago. "Adrien has taken my interest, the boy has potential that needed to be used, and I thought he was a great catch."

Gabriel narrows his eyes, but he doesn't push the kwami off his shoulder. "When I saw that ring, I wanted to strangle you."

Plagg snorts. "Straightforward as ever I see, Bridgette's influence still strong," He hums, ears flicking. "It's been a while since I last saw her."

Gabriel clenches his jaw. "Sabine is what she calls herself now."

Plagg rolls his eyes. "I'm not going to ask why both of you changed your names to first names, but I can guess," He floats in front of Gabriel's face, a scowl pulls down on his lips. "And it's going to happen again."

Gabriel stares at him, before he looks away. "I know."

"You have to talk to Adrien about it."

Gabriel glances sharply at him. "What difference does it make?"

Sighing, Plagg rubs his cheek with a hand. "I've forgotten how complicated you are, Adrien's an angel compared to you. Look," He takes a breath. "Hawkmoth is growing stronger as it is, Tikki and I have been talking about if for a while now, and it would be the best if the former heroes gives some advice to the new ones," He pauses, his eyes flitting around the designer's face. "Not only this would be the first time that the former is alive to do it, but it'll give them some pointers on how to actually defeat him. At least, a heads-up to the younger ones on how to take Hawkmoth down, once and for all."

Gabriel let's out a bitter laugh. "And tell them how I was the former Chat Noir? Laughable. And what advice can I give when the last time we took him down, he's alive again today and causing rampage to the city at the moment?" He shakes his head slightly, almost in disbelief. "Now, my only son is going to finish what I thought I did."

"And that's why he needs some faith from you," Plagg huffs. "Gabriel, the kid needs your help."

Heavy silence floats around them, before the small slump of Gabriel shoulders breaks it as a sigh leaves his lips. "Do they know each others identities?"

"Yes."

"Does Sabine know about this?"

"Tikki informed her," Plagg says, his tail twitches to the side. "You would want to invite her here tomorrow, so that both of you could talk to Adrien and Marinette at the same time without any disturbance."

Gabriel merely walks away from the window, making his way towards his desk.

Plagg watches him mournfully with his ears droop the slightest bit, his former cat dials the numbers that for once, he doesn't ask Nathalie to do it as he would with other appointments.

"It's good seeing you too, Felix."

* * *

When Marinette sees the house, she stops in her tracks.

"Mama," She calls out slowly, eyes flickering from the mansion to the woman in front of her, tightening her scarf against the autumn's wind. "Are you sure this is right?"

Sabine looks over her shoulder. "This is the Agreste residence, am I right?"

Marinette blinks. "Yes."

"Then, we're here."

Marinette watches her mother press the button near the gate, where Nathalie answers at once.

"Nathalie," Sabine starts before the assistant has anything to say, causing Marinette to gape slightly when her mother knows the assistant's name. "It's Sabine."

There's a moment's silence before Nathalie answers. "He's waiting for you."

They walk in the moment the gates swing open, and Marinette is surprised by the way Sabine is looking quite nervous, her lips press together as she crosses her arms, hiding her glove covered hands from the wind. The door is already open with Nathalie at the front, and she quickly ushers them in to close the door behind them.

When Sabine side eyes the woman in glasses, Nathalie nods in general to the side. "He said you'll know where he is."

Sabine gives a small smile, before following the direction of her nod. "Still holed up in that dusty old place," She glances back. "Thank you, Nathalie."

Marinette's mind is already reeling by this time as she follows her mother walking towards the right wing, their shoes clipping on the marble floor. Is Gabriel Agreste the old friend Sabine spoke of? It should be, or they wouldn't be here in his house, where Sabine wouldn't even know his assistant's name so casually as if they have spoken to each other for the longest time.

"Mama?" She calls out quietly, afraid to destroy the silence that hangs above them. "What's going on?"

A small smile appears on her lips. "You'll see."

They walk across the hallway until they reach the end, and during that time Marinette takes her time to admire the house with its high ceilings and white walls filled with frames of formal family pictures, where it leads them to a large library where the walls are filled shelves and books of all sizes and widths, a reading corner with a set of sofas sits at one side of the room, where father and son are already waiting.

Marinette blinks when she sees Adrien sitting beside his father on one of the sofas, where he is bewildered as she is when he sees her coming in.

Gabriel stands up when he notices them, putting down the book he was going through on the coffee table. "Bridgette."

Sabine pauses at the door, her eyes flashes with emotion for a split second before she manages to compose herself, straightening her coat. "Felix."

Marinette stares at her mother and at Gabriel Agreste, before shifting her eyes towards Adrien, who's staring at his own father in disbelief.

It's odd to hear them say their middle names, it's odd to see that it's obvious that they know each other. God knows how but they _do_ , and Marinette isn't sure she wants to find out judging by how the room is suddenly filled with static that causes the hair of her nape to stand.

"I see you're still locking yourself up in stuffy rooms," Sabine points out smoothly as they walk towards the men, where Marinette is trying not to make a fool of herself as they sit on the love seat opposite the Agrestes. "Dark and brooding as you ever were."

Gabriel merely gives a dry tilt of his lips. "You know me too well."

"Unfortunately."

Marinette licks her lips nervously, her skin tingling with some sort of restlessness that she feels she wants to get out of the room immediately, and it's obvious that Adrien feels the same way too by the way his spine goes rigid.

"The two of you might be wondering why we're here," Gabriel starts as he levels his stare to her, where she tries to hold it until he switches his gaze to his son. "And why it concerns you."

She nods, because there's nothing she can do _but_ nod, everything is too surreal that she's afraid she wouldn't handle it.

"First of all," Sabine this time cuts in as she directs her gaze towards Gabriel, where he meets it calmly. "We know you two are Ladybug and Chat Noir."

Marinette snaps her head up to look at the designer with a hitch of a breath, where he is still holding onto Sabine's look, and Marinette meets Adrien's shocked expression, where his eyes are wide as he too tries not to gape too much.

Questions flash across his face that she knows that she has them too.

_How did they know?_

_Did you tell them?_

_What's going on?_

"Your ring and earrings are the Miraculouses," She continues swiftly.

At that point, Tikki flies out of Marinette's handbag at the same time Plagg comes out of Adrien's jeans pocket, both kwamis seating on their wielder's respectful shoulders. Tikki nuzzles Marinette's cheek for reassurance that she doesn't know she needs until then, stroking Tikki's head with a finger.

"And," Gabriel takes over. "That we too, had once worn the Miraculouses ourselves."

Marinette thinks she stops breathing for a moment.

Slowly, she faces her mother, where Sabine breaks eye contact with Gabriel to meet her daughter's wide eyes with a small smile.

"Father?" Adrien enquires quietly, his own eyes rakes the face of his father as tries to search anything that could say otherwise.

But the grim expression stays truthful to what he says.

"You were once," Marinette finally manages to get her voice out, albeit small and fills with wonder and fear that mixes into one. "Ladybug?"

"And you Chat Noir?" Adrien adds, his fingers subconsciously twists the ring.

"Yes," Sabine replies quietly, holding out her palm that Tikki flies over to her. "Remember when I said I found Tikki injured, and she stayed with me for a while?" At Marinette's nod, she let's out a breathless chuckle. "A while turns out to be eight years."

"The same time Plagg found me," Gabriel glances at the kwami on Adrien's shoulder that Plagg gives him a toothy grin of mockery. "We were partners," He meets his son's prodding eyes. "Like the two of you are."

"How long have you known?" Adrien questions them, his eyes flickering between Sabine and Gabriel.

"Since I saw you wearing that four years ago," Gabriel nods towards the white ring, where Adrien stops playing with as he spreads his hands on his thighs. "I wasn't exactly happy to see it on you when I thought I told Plagg to never come back again."

The cat-like kwami let's out a burst of scathing laughter. "You're still being a sour puss over that, Felix? I can't help it if I happen to be fond of your little family, as broken as it is."

"Plagg!" Tikki hisses.

Gabriel gives him a glower. "I thought we're done talking about this."

"Tell that to yourself." Plagg sniffs.

Tikki sighs, before she let's her eyes wonder over the faces of the room. "This," She begins softly. "This is the first time that the current Ladybug and Chat Noir could meet the former ones, those before this were either unlucky enough or were several decades apart. Not only Bridgette and Felix could tell the both of you on what they experienced, but they could also tell you about some tricks. Some experiences," She pauses, glancing back at Sabine. "More intimate than the others."

"But how can Paris not remember Ladybug and Chat Noir in your years?" Marinette voices out her thoughts. "Before we made ourselves seen, it was as if they don't even know who and what Ladybug and Chat Noir is."

Something flashes in the adults eyes that makes Marinette feel uneasy, and she realises she brought up a memory they're not too fond of. "The Lucky Charm," Sabine answers as she once again purses her lips. "It erased everyone's memories after we defeated Hawkmoth, so they would live in peace and not remind them of what horror they went through when Paris was in ruins."

"Everyone except the both of us," Gabriel quips, tapping a finger on his knee. "But we were free from the press, so they wouldn't ask any questions about that monstrosity that we would rather avoid, even if sometimes we were reminded by ourselves about it."

"How did you defeat him?" Adrien asks.

Sabine let's out a breath. "It wasn't easy of course, Felix was already doing what he can as he tried to avoid the attacks from Hawkmoth's slaves as I was trying to find some food for Tikki to recharge, and we kept changing turns to rest as we figured out ways to go through the people that were akumatised to get towards Hawkmoth. When we did get to him, we only managed to kill the host, but the kwami escaped before we could get a hold of him, where he was weak as we were. We," She pauses, frowning as she recalls the memory. "We used the Lucky Charm, and everything went back to normal."

"We were told that the kwami would take years to heal himself before he could fight again," Gabriel continues where she stopped off. "And we had the chance ourselves to rest while we can. In the end, we decided to retire, wanting to leave everything behind because while people were sleeping soundly every night, we still had to deal with them in our sleep," He let's out a breath of dry amusement. "Even if that fight lasted for a week, it was hell on earth."

The two adults look more tired than usual as the story goes on, as if the years of fighting finally catch up on them after they recall back everything they did, where every restless nights and horrifying nightmares engulfs them entirely to this day.

There's something about the way Gabriel looks at her mother, and the way Sabine is deliberately not meeting his eye in the end, as if this brings up other things than those when they were fighting as Ladybug and Chat Noir, a memory of sorts they rather not face again. It's the first time, Marinette thinks, that Gabriel has let his mask down for a while, because she hasn't seen him like this before, even when she has won numerous contests of his.

The silence stretches for a while, before Plagg speaks. "Try separating the kwami from the host again when the time comes, and then, Tikki and I would do the rest," He looks away, his eyes filled with years of pain they can't imagine.

"I just want this to end."

* * *

 After questions are asked and answered, Sabine and Marinette had to leave, as the day is already dark and Tom would probably start to worry. Adrien wraps his fingers around Marinette's wrist before she leaves the house, tugging her slightly towards him. "I'll see you tonight," He says quietly, giving her a quirk of a smirk. "Maybe somewhere where we can discuss about this mess."

She grins, but it doesn't reach her eyes as it always would, making him believe that her mind is still trying to wrap all this information as hard as he is. "Of course."

When they look up, they quickly move away when they see their parents watching them from the door, their faces unreadable. Marinette walks quickly to stand beside her mother, a streak of pink graces across her face.

Sabine faces Gabriel, where she has to tilt her head slightly to look at him in the eye. "I wish you luck in your work, Felix," She informs him softly. "And for the next of your life."

Adrien is surprised by the way his father sends her a genuine smile. "And I you, Bridgette."

With one last smile, she makes her down the stairs with her daughter at her side, leaving the man and his son watching after them as they made their way home.

Daringly, Adrien peeks a look at his father, the question has been whirling around his mind when he notices Gabriel's change in attitude the moment the two women made their presence known. "Did you love her?"

Gabriel stiffens, giving him a sharp look. "Why do you ask?"

Adrien licks his lips. "Because I was told that no matter how hard you resist it, it would just happen in the end."

Gabriel doesn't move a muscle, and Adrien refuses to leave as he waits for his answer.

"Perhaps," The former Chat Noir answers slowly. "But time wasn't kind to me, and she made her choice."

Turning on his heel, Gabriel makes his way inside, and Adrien is about to call out when his father throws the words across his shoulder.

"Don't make the same mistake as I did."


	3. EXTRA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the 2D version is gonna happen between Adrien and Marinette, I thought I'd do some last things with this AU, extra bitter and sweet for your daily needs.
> 
> Oh yeah, listen to the song for more UMF

_22 years ago_

It's been a week.

It's been a week, since the great battle takes place in Paris, where all is well and nothing is amiss.

The people have no memory of the skies that has once been spilled with blood, as if a bit of Ladybug's suit has been plucked and spread across it.

They have no memory of the ground that has been split into two, where thousands of corrupted butterflies flies to the heavens as they capture the city into a dome-like shape, trapping everyone from escaping and intruding.

They have no memory of the ferocious snarls of their heroes as they fight, the sounds of bodies being tossed as well as broken bones can't rival the bloodcurdling scream that tears from their throats when their enemies try to demolish both of them.

They have no memory of the lingering hope that their heroes try to hold onto, no memory of their battered bodies, no memory of the way they clutch desperately onto one another as they try to bring themselves back to their senses, as they keep murmuring empty words of encouragement to each other while they use every last bit of energy to take back their home.

The people are peaceful as they go on with their lives, living it to their fullest.

It can't be said the same for Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"I want to end this."

It's been a week after they defeat Hawkmoth, and yet they keep meeting at the place they first met, on top of the Louvre where they're still unbalanced with the new power they just received, their bodies familiar with the routine that their tired minds haven't had the strength to protest at the action.

Gabriel blinks from where he leans on the wall of the rooftop, seeing the way how the heroine's shoulders are bunched up with pressure from where she sits on the edge of the building, her lips pressed into a line.

He thinks, even with the tired lines that scars her faces, the weary stance she tries to hide, she still looks as admirable as she ever is, where his heart thumps a bit harder than before, the pain a stinging prick that keeps him awake at night.

And yet, he pushes that away.

"End what?" He asks in a low voice, even if he knows what she's talking about, because he has thought of it before too, that it twists in his mind after he tries to swallow back the scream that threatens to burst out of his mouth everytime he wakes up in the middle of the night, the reds and purples and broken expressions of madness that still clutches on to him from the remains of his nightmare. 

"This," She says again, turning towards him as she gestures to the both of them. "I don't think I can take it anymore."

He straightens up from his position. "You want to retire."

It isn't a question, but rather a statement of sorts that makes her bite her lip, because she recognises that tone of his that indicates that he isn't exactly happy, and he hates it when she knows how to read him easily. "Yes."

He rubs his face, before running his fingers through his hair that he grips it between his fingers. "It won't go away if that's what you're thinking."

She chuckles sadly, because they know that everything is now engraved in their heads, they try everything they could to push those horrid memories at the back of their minds to avoid from seeing the maniacal look in Hawkmoth's eyes. "I know, but what do we fight for now? The kwami escaped before we could catch him, and from what I was told, it would be a long time before he could find someone to play with."

Plagg tells him that too, it'll be a while when the next Hawkmoth would attack, there's a chance that the kwami would appear long after they defeat him, and they wouldn't be worried about it.

Gabriel only hopes.

"Do you want this?"

He looks up from where he glares at his feet, softening his features when he sees her coming towards him, leaning against the wall beside him as the shadows swallows them both. "Do you want to continue saving Paris?" She continues. "Stopping crimes and helping people?"

He merely stares at her, his eyes searching her face as she waits for his answer expectantly, before he looks away with a sigh. "I think," He begins quietly. "A break would be nice."

She nods, a small sigh of her own breaks out of her lips. "A long break, we'll tell our kwamis to find someone else," She peers at him through her lashes, and he thinks he has never seen her more beautiful. "And that means, we have to release them."

He feels a jolt of remorse going through him at those words, and he finds that it doesn't entirely come from himself.

"It'll be the end of us," He warns her quietly, pleading inside his head that no, he doesn't want to part from her, he doesn't want to not see her face anymore, that he loves her with all his heart and he will do anything to protect her.

"I know."

He closes his eyes.

Identities, so precious to them for the past few years as partners, have never look so far away from where they are at the moment.

"One last chance, Ladybug."

A breath released.

"I'm ready."

He stays still.

"Plagg."

He feels the power that's been strip off of him, the cool air sways within them as he holds his breath, feeling her eyes prodding his skin as she watches with some fear, some curiosity, and he feels his own muscles taut as he waits for it to end.

There's a sharp intake of breath, a step taken backwards as he feels Plagg sitting on his shoulder, for once quiet.

"Felix?"

He snaps his eyes open, looking at her in surprise. "You know me?"

"I-I," She stammers, blinking at him in wonderment as she rakes her eyes over him, absorbing everything that's in front of her. In the end, she clamps her eyes shut tightly. "Tikki, release me."

He watches with some awe as pink power unravels her, and standing in her place is none other than Sabine 'Bridgette' Cheng, her kwami floating just near her ear.

He snaps his jaw close with a click.

"Bridgette."

She flutters her eyes open, a small smile appears. "Who would have thought?"

For once, he is truly lost for words.

They stand in silence, where she avoids his stare as he finally, _finally_ , notices everything. From her earrings that Tikki has gotten out from, to her bright blue eyes he has adored, everything is being lay out at once, a flash that leaves him breathless with the fact that Bridgette, the girl he has turned down numerous times in school when she tries so hard to make friends with him, is actually the love of his life.

The regret tears him apart.

"Bridgette," He begins, licking his dry lips as tries to think of something, _anything_ to say about this. "Bridgette, I-"

"Did you only love Ladybug?"

He stiffens, feeling the dread that sinks to his feet, his blood turning cold as it prickles through his flesh and skin.

 _Lie_ , his conscious hisses. _Lie through this like you have all this time, lie to her face as you have to other people that you deemed not important to you_.

She waits for him to answer her, tries to hide the turmoil she feels, where her face is on the verge of cracking. 

"Yes."

She turns away, letting out a breathless chuckle that it penetrates through his core at just how broken she sounds. "I don't find it surprising, but," She pauses. "I used to love you too, both of sides of you," He let's out a shuddering breath at this. "But then I met Tom, and he was so sweet and I loved him the moment I did, I wanted to forget _everything_ , and I couldn't help it," She laughs again humourlessly. "I _wanted_ to forget you."

He has never hated himself right then.

He tries to swallow the ball of emotions that lodges in his throat, to say something that could comfort her.

But he knew nothing will work then.

"I'm sorry," He apologises quietly. "I am so sorry."

She gives a quirk of a smile.

"I understand."

He feels something snap inside him. "Help me make amends," He pleads, taking a step forward but never dared himself to touch her, never would he do in years to come. "Let me do things right for what I did."

"Gabriel," He flinches, because he has never heard her say his first name with such pain in her voice, and he hates that he's the caused of that. "It's not your fault."

He let's out a bitter laugh. "Don't coddle me with words that will make me regret them for the rest of my life, Sabine. I've been an ass for the most of your life, I want to change that."

She doesn't react when he calls her that name, and his heart sinks to think that she doesn't care anymore. "There's nothing to forgive."

" _Lies_ ," He hisses desperately, his arms tensing as he tries not to get hold of her. "I've hurt you enough, I don't want to hurt you again. Please Bridgette, let me-"

"There's _nothing_ to forgive," She whispers the words again harshly, and he sees the storm that brews in her eyes as she swivels around to meet his gaze. "You don't need to ask for my forgiveness, you being a friend of mine is all I wanted," She takes a breath. "And that's enough for me."

She sighs tiredly, her shoulders drooping.

"And the fact that you felt more has been something that I would cherish."

He knows there's more to her words, the 'what-ifs' and 'how's' lingering in the air between them that they coat them with a damp heaviness he learns to hate, where the temptation to peel and scratch it off his skin makes his fingers twitch with a need he feels so intensely, where it clings onto him with uneasiness. 

"Tikki, spots on."

He watches helplessly as the mask covers her eyes, and she looks at him gravely that he can't look away. "Please," She murmurs. "I don't want our times as partners to be wasted."

Then, she walks away, making her way to the spot she first sits, taking out her yo-yo as she's about to leave.

"Goodbye, Felix."

He watches her swing away, her hair flying behind her as she disappears behind buildings the further she goes, and he's left there staring after her.

"Goodbye, Bridgette."


End file.
